Climate & Environment
Long Beach Peninsula Homes Evacuated as Powerful Waves Damage Seawall and Boardwalk
Powerful waves generated by a tropical system in the Pacific Ocean continued to batter homes and businesses in Long Beach, California, prompting evacuations for some residents. On Monday evening, Long Beach firefighters went door-to-door notifying roughly 20 households along the seawall between 63rd Place and 67th Place that they needed to leave their homes. The Long Beach Fire Department said the evacuations were ordered because the seawall had been compromised and the boardwalk had sustained damage. Officials also reported cracked and damaged concrete between several homes in the area. The Long Beach Building Department sent inspectors to assess the structural integrity of the affected homes. Family members were seen arriving to help evacuate loved ones from the neighborhood. Over the weekend, the intense waves pushed into shoreline neighborhoods, leaving several inches of water and sand in their wake. On Monday evening, waves were observed crashing against and over the seawall near the boardwalk. City officials said they are working to determine whether the boardwalk remains safe for pedestrians after sustaining storm damage. Long Beach Fire Battalion Chief Jake Heflin said officials will need to conduct a full assessment of the boardwalk and waterfront to determine the storm's impact and how to reinforce the area going forward, adding that this event is likely just the beginning of future challenges. Water and sand entered multiple homes along the seawall after protective sand berms disintegrated, spreading sand across several streets on the peninsula. Long Beach Peninsula resident Rob Quest said waves have been jumping roughly eight feet over the seawall, and residents are hoping current mitigation efforts will hold. Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said the situation reflects the reality of the climate emergency, warning that similar events are likely to occur again in the future. A Coastal Flood Advisory and a High Surf Advisory remain in effect until 11 p.m. Tuesday. Nearby, residents in Seal Beach have also begun cleanup efforts after high surf flooded their boardwalk, and they are preparing for the possibility of additional flooding.